Feeling strange about a favorite! 🤍

[namenerddoglover]

[name_m]Hi[/name_m] all! You know how much I love the name Eliza!! However, I read something recently about someone not wanting to use any part of their own name as their child’s name. I know I’ve posted many times about this, and I apologize. It’s just that now I’m feeling a little strange about it again, even though the intention is to honor my late grandmother.

I have some questions:

1. Should I stick with [name_f]Eliza[/name_f]?
2. Should I use [name_f]Molly[/name_f] as the first name or [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] as the middle name instead? Falling back in love with [name_f]Molly[/name_f]!
3. Should I just use my grandmother’s initials?

I would still love to use vintage/classic names somewhere. Some of my favorites are:

[name_f]Audrey[/name_f]
[name_f]Madeline[/name_f]
[name_f]Eloise[/name_f]
[name_f]Vera[/name_f]
[name_f]Thea[/name_f]
[name_f]Evie[/name_f] (just [name_f]Evie[/name_f] )
[name_f]Lyla[/name_f]
[name_f]Greta[/name_f] (another honor name I love!!)
[name_f]Katherine[/name_f] or [name_f]Kate[/name_f] (a name in the family that I don’t want to use as an honor name.)
[name_u]Romy[/name_u]
[name_f]Gracie[/name_f] (see Katherine)
[name_u]Hazel[/name_u]
[name_f]Maisie[/name_f]
[name_f]Lucy[/name_f]
[name_f]Sadie[/name_f] (so wish I could use this!!)

Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thank you so much!

[emarias22]

If you don’t feel weird about passing on a name similar to your own, especially for the purpose of honoring family, then that’s all that matters IMO! [name_f]Eliza[/name_f] is lovely.

[zoberry]

firstly, eliza (with any vintage middle from the list) OR molly elizabeth make adorable combos. i can promise that these are all lovely names for baby girls.

i would say if you really love a name, try not let anyone else’s naming preferences affect something so beautiful like honoring your grandmother! eliza is truly gorgeous and the meaning of it is beautiful. i personally would not feel weird about using parts of my name in a name for my daughter. it’s nice to carry something like that down.

i hope this makes you feel more confident in using a name you love!

[namenerddoglover]

@emarias22 Thank you so much, this is so helpful! I really love the name [name_f]Eliza[/name_f], and I’m not as drawn to other forms of it for some reason. The thought of using it has never really bothered me before, so I don’t know why it is getting to me today!

Thank you again!

[namenerddoglover]

@zoberry Thank you so much, I really appreciate this response! [name_f]My[/name_f] grandmother has been gone for a little over two years. I’m not anywhere close to having children, but recently asked my mom if she felt it was too soon to honor her mom with my future daughter’s name. She said she didn’t think it was too soon. I didn’t tell her what names I was thinking of. I think her opinion on that one specifically was the one I needed to comfortably move forward with using a form of M@ry or El!z@beth. So it is great to know she is OK with it! However, I also want other family members and friends to like it, especially my dad!

Options with [name_f]Eliza[/name_f]:
[name_f]Eliza[/name_f] [name_f]Lucy[/name_f]
[name_f]Eliza[/name_f] [name_f]Madeline[/name_f]
[name_f]Eliza[/name_f] [name_f]Naomi[/name_f]
[name_f]Eliza[/name_f] [name_f]Grace[/name_f]
[name_f]Eliza[/name_f] [name_f]Juliet[/name_f]

Options that use at least one of her initials, sometimes adding those of another person in the family. [name_u]An[/name_u] * indicates an honor name, ** indicates a double honor name:

[name_u]Josie[/name_u] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] **
[name_f]Eliza[/name_f] [name_f]Audrey[/name_f] *
[name_f]Madeline[/name_f] [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] **
[name_f]Greta[/name_f] [name_u]Marie[/name_u] **
[name_f]Eliza[/name_f] [name_f]Margot[/name_f] **
[name_f]Greta[/name_f] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] **
[name_f]Molly[/name_f] [name_f]Kathleen[/name_f] nn. [name_f]Molly[/name_f] [name_f]Kate[/name_f]
[name_f]Lyla[/name_f] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] *
[name_f]Audrey[/name_f] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] *
[name_f]Eloise[/name_f] Mae*
[name_f]Lucy[/name_f] [name_f]Eve[/name_f] *
[name_f]Audrey[/name_f] [name_f]Margot[/name_f] **

Thank you again!!

[Lula-Rose]

[name_f]Eliza[/name_f] is gorgeous. I think it’s hard to advise when it comes to issues like this as only you knows what matters to you. But if this name is where your heart is then I’d go for it and not be moulded by someone else’s naming principles.

You have some lovely names, I also particularly like [name_f]Greta[/name_f], [name_f]Kate[/name_f], [name_f]Gracie[/name_f], [name_u]Romy[/name_u] and [name_u]Hazel[/name_u]. [name_f]Eloise[/name_f] and [name_f]Evie[/name_f] are nice too. I’m actually not keen on [name_f]Molly[/name_f], nothing wrong with it just personal taste. I think [name_f]Eliza[/name_f] is just head and shoulders above it in terms of refinement (without being pretentious at all). I feel like [name_f]Eliza[/name_f] is a stunning and elegant yet zippy name for a grown woman as well as a child, whereas [name_f]Molly[/name_f] is more cutesy.

[namenerddoglover]

@Lula-Rose Thank you so much!! I completely agree that [name_f]Eliza[/name_f] works better than [name_f]Molly[/name_f] does on an adult. While I like my name better now than I did when I was younger, (classic, common, there are times that I was in class with four or five people with my name) I think that’s part of why I prefer names with some spunk. I love that I have a formal name that I can use professionally and at other time when I choose to. But I also believe in naming a child what you’re actually planning to call them. If that’s a name that some consider informal, that’s OK. I definitely there is a case for both styles. They are each beautiful in their own ways!
I will do my best to not be worried that I’m missing a better name or making a snap decision based on someone else’s preferences.

Thank you again!

[Greyblue]

1) Should I stick with Eliza?

I think this is about what you feel comfortable with. Would you mind people assuming [name_f]Eliza[/name_f] was after you as well as - or even instead of - your grandmother? [name_f]Do[/name_f] you feel like it’s too much ‘your name’ to be your child’s too? Would you still love [name_f]Eliza[/name_f] if it didn’t honour your grandmother?

More objectively, since [name_f]Eliza[/name_f] comes from your middle (unless I’m remembering incorrectly), is to honour your grandmother, and feels like a name in its own right, I think it’s okay to use without making it feel as if she’s a ‘junior’. It’s a lovely name - sassy and sparky.

I’d say, keep [name_f]Eliza[/name_f] on the list, explore other options and see if [name_f]Eliza[/name_f] still sparkles?

2) Should I use Molly as the first name or Elizabeth as the middle name instead? Falling back in love with Molly!

Using [name_f]Molly[/name_f] as a first name is a great idea if you love it! Honours your grandmother - but in a subtle way that outsiders might not immediately know and still feels like its own name, while also having a history and family tie. [name_f]Molly[/name_f] is a charming name. [name_f]Molly[/name_f] [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f] might be sweet - both variants of your grandmothers names! [name_f]Molly[/name_f] [name_f]Juliette[/name_f], [name_f]Molly[/name_f] [name_f]Saoirse[/name_f] and [name_f]Molly[/name_f] [name_u]Piper[/name_u] would be cute too!

[name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] as the middle is another good idea - passing down a tradition!

3) Should I just use my grandmother’s initials?

If there’s the right combo and it feels like enough of an honour for you then I love this idea; it might feel less strange than her having the ‘same’ name as anyone in the family!

---

[name_f]Madeline[/name_f] [name_f]Eliza[/name_f] or [name_f]Madeline[/name_f] [name_f]Evie[/name_f] would be sweet! or [name_f]Maisie[/name_f] Elizabeth!!

(as some suggestions: [name_f]Madeline[/name_f] [name_f]Edith[/name_f], [name_f]Madeline[/name_f] [name_f]Elsie[/name_f], or [name_f]Madeline[/name_f] Esther)

[name_f]Audrey[/name_f] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f], [name_f]Greta[/name_f] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f], [name_u]Hazel[/name_u] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f], [name_u]Romy[/name_u] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] would be charming too!!

A few similar suggestions:

[name_f]Mabel[/name_f] [name_f]Lillian[/name_f]
[name_f]Kaia[/name_f] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]
[name_f]Mavis[/name_f] [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f]
[name_f]Pearl[/name_f] [name_f]Isabella[/name_f]

[namenerddoglover]

@Greyblue Thank you so much for such a detailed reply! You are absolutely right about where Eliza comes from. I’ve always wanted it to be associated with her much more than with me. I do think I would still like it if it wasn’t associated with her, but it wouldn’t feel nearly as special. I know there are some who would connect the name with me more, especially those who didn’t know my grandma. I think it is a good idea to keep Eliza on the list. I am backing away from it though. Maybe it is better to just use Elizabeth as the middle name.
I do really like the idea of using Molly as the first name! It honors her and my mom both, and it is Irish, like many of the names in my family! I LOVE Molly Isabelle, but unfortunately Isabelle doesn’t sound the best with my last name. My only concern is how well Molly ages!

I agree that using initials would may alleviate potential awkwardness of using the same names as some people I’m close to, but not all within our family. If I honored anyone with a name, it would be my parents, grandparents, and brother.

These were such helpful questions to consider, thank you!

I love your suggestions of Kaia Elizabeth and Pearl!

Thank you again!

[Greyblue]

@namenerddoglover

My only concern is how well Molly ages!

Don’t know if this helps, but Molly was fairly popular around the time I was born, so most of the Mollys I know are in their twenties now and are still wearing it just fine

[namenerddoglover]

@Greyblue That absolutely helps, thank you! I feel like it’s popular enough here in the US, but it’s still not a name I hear often! I also don’t personally know anyone named [name_f]Molly[/name_f], so maybe that’s part of why I struggle to picture the name on someone throughout their life. You’ve helped me like it even more though!!

Thank you again!

[Artemis_returns]

[name_f]Eliza[/name_f] is lovely and dignified. Sometimes we can overthink our favourite names. I know I do. I’d definitely stick with [name_f]Eliza[/name_f].

[namenerddoglover]

@Artemis_returns Thank you so much!! Maybe I am overthink it, I don’t know! It’s so hard to figure out the absolute perfect names.

Thank you again!

[tori101]

Ask as many questions as you want!

Should I stick with [name_f]Eliza[/name_f]?

I think that is a personal decision as to whether you feel comfortable with using part of your name as your child’s first. However if I remember correctly your middle name is [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] so I do believe that makes a massive difference it’s not like your first name is [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]. Furthermore it’s a family name passed down generations and for me I actually love using names passed down. [name_f]My[/name_f] middle name is a family name passed down and shared with my mum I love the connection. I also feel that [name_f]Eliza[/name_f] has a different feel to [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] despite being taken from this name. [name_f]Eliza[/name_f] feels young, youthful, playful and fashionable. Whereas [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] has this regal elegance to her so in my opinion the names feel different enough for your child to feel like their own person.

Should I use [name_f]Molly[/name_f] as a first name is [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] as a middle name?

I’ve never been a fan of [name_f]Molly[/name_f] I just hear moles so for me I wouldn’t want to use this name however that’s personal preference. Ultimately [name_f]Molly[/name_f] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] is sweet has fun cottagecore imagery attached and would ensure the issue your feeling conflicted about isn’t a thing so I can see the appeal. I also think [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] as a middle name would work. Continues the tradition but again will ensure your child has their own first name.

Looking at others on your list the shining stars for me are [name_f]Audrey[/name_f], [name_f]Eloise[/name_f], [name_f]Evie[/name_f], [name_f]Greta[/name_f], Katherine/Kate, [name_f]Gracie[/name_f], [name_u]Hazel[/name_u] and [name_f]Sadie[/name_f]. I have to give a special shout out to [name_f]Evie[/name_f] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] she’s beautiful.

Should I just use grandmother’s initials?

In my mother’s culture we use the first and last letter of someone’s name to honour them. [name_f]My[/name_f] mother is [name_f]Laura[/name_f] I used [name_f]Lilia[/name_f] to honour her I think it’s a lovely way to honour someone. Also using initials means you can have more of a creative flair whilst still honouring that person.

Ultimately I think you should use your favourite name and not allow others opinions to deter you (easier said then done I know) you love [name_f]Eliza[/name_f] your love for [name_f]Eliza[/name_f] will shine through and your child will even if they don’t like their name understand why you chose her.

[namenerddoglover]

@tori101 Thank you so much! You have pointed out all the reasons I love this name! I love the idea of passing the name down to a fourth generation. Thank you for the reminder that it in this case, it is more about that than what others think, even if it’s my extended family. Another reason that naming a future daughter after my grandmother is because I think I was the last person in the family to really be named after her. We have an I$ab€ll@, but I am thinking my cousin liked the name and used it, it may or may not be an honor for our grandma!

I absolutely love the naming tradition in your mother’s culture! I think [name_f]Lila[/name_f] is the perfect honor for [name_f]Laura[/name_f]! I agree, there is something very special about [name_f]Evie[/name_f]. However, after reading this and considering things more, I’m not sure that particular name outshines [name_f]Eliza[/name_f] for me.

Thank you again for the encouragement to use the name I love!